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"Balanced, Unbalanced T" Sculpture 1981, Artist: Fletcher Benton (born 1931), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Art At Symphony Hall, Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California

The Sign
(1 of 8) (6876 views)

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The sign identifying this sculpture was attached to the concrete base. It read:

Fletcher Benton
American born 1931
Balanced, Unbalanced T
1981
steel and flat black enamel
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Gift of William S. Picher and Wally Goodman


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:10:38 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4488
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On A Balcony
(2 of 8) (4085 views)

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The sculpture rested on a balcony of Symphony Hall overlooking the city at mid day.


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:10:56 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4490
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T On Top
(3 of 8) (4094 views)

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An inverted letter T balanced on the top of the sculpture. It was welded in place so was unbalanced as well. Hence the name, "Balanced, Unbalanced T."


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:11:21 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4491
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O On Concrete
(4 of 8) (4027 views)

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The letter O was one of the three resting places on the concrete slab. A hint of rust was present on the bottom of the O shape.


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:11:31 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4492
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A Triangle
(5 of 8) (4114 views)

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A black triangle shape was one of the several shapes that created this sculpture. In this photograph you can see that the triangle was welded to the shape above and the shape below.


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:11:36 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4493
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Side View
(6 of 8) (4056 views)

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A side view of the sculpture the lower half of which was lit by light reflecting off the building across the street. This angle reveals the two other points of the sculpture mounted to the concrete.


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:11:52 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4494
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Cleaved Cylinder
(7 of 8) (4097 views)

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A cylinder formed the third leg mounted to the concrete base. The cylinder was cleaved into two parts, where the smaller one was the one attached.


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:11:59 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4495
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The T
(8 of 8) (4118 views)

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The T from the title,"Balanced, Unbalanced T," was the topmost shape at the summit of the sculpture. It was upside down.


"Balanced, Unbalanced T" external link Sculpture external link 1981   •  Artist: Fletcher Benton external link   •  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art external link   •  Art At Symphony Hall external link   •  Van Ness Avenue external link   •  San Francisco external link California external link   •  Nikon D300s Camera, f/2.8 35-70 Nikon Lens external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:12:05 Monday 14 October 2019)   •  (Date Published: Saturday 9 May 2020)   •  © 2020 Bryan Costales external link Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_4496
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